Bottle capping machine



March 30, 1943. I s. H. J. BAULE 2,314,918]

- BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1941- 7 SheetS-S he et 1 HI III II I" I" INVENTOR: r I

March 30, 1943. M 6.14. J. BAULE 14,918

BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1941 TSheets-Sheet a IIE=E INVENTOR- 'alwxfllidfiaul m H. J. BAULE BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE March 30, 1943.

Filed Jan. 21, 1941 "7 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 30,1943. 6.1-1.1. BAULE v I 2 ,314,918

' BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1941 v 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.

March 30, 1943.

BOTTLE CAPPING, MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1941 7Sheets-Sheet '7 G. H." J. B-AULE v 2,314,918

Patented Mar. 30, 1943 BOTTLE oarrma' MACHINE Gerhard H. J. Baule, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to Oswego Falls Corporation, Fulton, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application January 21, 1941, Serial No. 375,169

(Cl. 226-33) I p h the strip to move such cap into the oven upon 13 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for applying hood caps to bottles, the caps being formed of flexible sheet material with the skirt portion of the cap rendered adhesive bythe application of heat just bottle. 1

More particularly the invention relates to a machine of the type referred to wherein the caps are joined together in strip formation.

The machine includes means for advancing a procession of bottles to a cap applying station, in the proximity of which an owner cap heating means is located, and cap feeding means is provided for advancing the strip of caps through the oven and positioning the heated caps successively in cap applying position, the arrangement being such that the cap predestined for each bottle advancing in the procession is-moved into the oven, heated and subsequently moved out of. the oven to cap applying position where it is placed upon the top of the bottle and thereafter the marginal portion of the cap is folded about the neck of the bottle and the overlapping portions of the skirt are contracted and are permanently secured together by the heated adhesive condition of the cap.

In a machine of the type above referred to, it is necessary that each cap remain in the cap heating oven a predetermined minimum time in order that the cap; may be rendered properly adhesive. Inasmuch as the bottles are being advanced in a procession, this requires the strip of caps to be advanced intermittently when each bottle is positioned remote from th cap applying station, and due to the fact that the caps are joined in strip formation, each time the strip is advanced to move the heated cap out of the oven to cap applying position, a new cap is moved into the oven. In the event there is not a uniformly spaced succeeding bottle in the processionr the new cap advanced in the,.oven will not only remain therein for the predetermined minimum time, but may remain in the oven for. an indefinite period of time,. with the result that the cap becomes overheated to anextent to fatally damage the adhesive characteristics of the cap, or to an extent where the cap is burned or completely rendered unfit for use.

This invention has as its chief object a machine of the particular type referred to embodying a novel mechanism operable to advance the cap strip in timed relation to the advance of each bottle in theprocession to'position a cap in the oven for each bottle, and to subsequently advance the strip to move the heated cap out of the oven to cap applying position, and which is further operable in the event of the absence of a uniformly spaced bottle in the procession to retract prior to positioning the cap on the h the presence of the next succeeding bottle. Or, this object may be stated briefly as embodying cap strip feeding mechanism operable in a manner whereby each cap remains in the cap heating oven for only apredetermined length of time after which it is advanced forwardly out of the oven to be applied to the bottle or, if there'is an interruption in the procession of bottles and accordingly no bottle present to receive'the cap positioned in the oven, that cap is immediately withdrawn from the oven until a succeedingbottle appears in the procession. This mechanism is entirely operable automatically, but means is provided whereby the cap advancing mechanism may be operated manually to effect proper adjustments and for other purposes. v

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions here-, inafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views. v

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a inachine embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a-vertical sectional view of the ma-' chine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on substantiallyline 3-3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a top planview of the machine with I I parts broken away and parts shown in section.

Figure 5 is a Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the central portion of the machine looking to'the left Figure l. w l

Figure 7 is a. vertical sectional view of the cap folding and cap skirt contracting head with the skirt contracting members in open position.

v Figure 8 is a view, similar to Figure 7, with the skirt contracting members actuated to closed position. I

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9 -9,

Figure 7. i

the oven, and operable to again initially advance Figure 10 is a top planview of a cap contracting head and contiguous portions of the machine. Figure 11 is a top plan view of the cap strip feeding and severing mechanism with parts shown in section and including a schematic wirng diagram illustrating the electrical connections for this mechanism.

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken on line l2- 12, Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a sectional view of the cap strip feeding mechanism with the cap cuttingmechanism shown in elevation, the view being taken substantiallyon line I3-l3, Figure 3.

Figure 14 is an elevational view of the cap cut sectional view taken on line 5-5,

at the lower end as by a wall II.

ting mechanism taken on a line corresponding to line H-ll, Figure 2.

The machine is herein illustrated as applying paper hood caps to conventional milk bottles B which are'fed to and from the machine by-the.

.20, the upper ends of which are engaged by adin the channel section of the ribs.,

The base 2| is also formed withan upwardly extending elongated hub portion I formed at its lower end with a cylindrical bore to receive a circular nut 3i mounted in the hub II on antijusting screws 21 threaded into bones 18 formed friction bearings 32 and being. retained in the hub by an annular member 38 secured thereto as by cap screws 34.

The upper portionofthe hub 8| is apertured to slidably receive a post ",1 the lower end of which isthreaded into the nut block lit A rin gear 3' ilsecured to the lower end of the nut ll and is engaged by a pinion 31 mounted upon the inner end of a shaft ll transversely journalied in a boss 4. formed in one of the depending channel shaped ribs. The outer end of the shaft 38 extends through a cylindrical sheet metal casing 39 encircling the base and forming a closure therefor. The outer end of the shaft cordingly timed with the rotation of the turret and is such as to move the bottles onto the bottle pads 43.

The capped bottles, as indicated at 64, Figure 3. are removed from the-turret andretumed to the conveyor by an out-feed wheel I secured to the upper end of a shaft 80 similarly journalled in the boss 61 and provided with a gear OI also arranged to mesh with the-ring gear II. The bottles. are guided onto and of! from the turret by a guide member I.

- As the bottles B are advanced by the turret J 42, a heated cap is severed from the cap strip and applied to the top of the bottle at a .cap applying station which may be designated by the cap. ll, Figure 3. At this station relative axial movement is effected between the bottle and the cap to place the cap on the top of the bottle and thereupon the marginal portion of the cap isfolded downwardly about the neck of the bottle and contracted tightly against the same. i This folding and contracting operation is accomplished by an annular series of cap folding and contracting headsll, there beingone 25 of such heads positioned axially :above each of the bottle stools 43. The cap contracting heads are secured to a disk 12 formed with a depending hub portion 13 slidably mounted upon the upper hub portion 46 of the turret. The hub portion 46 is provided with axially extending keys 14,

. and the hub 111s formed withaxially extending slots IS-to slidably receive the keys ll, the purpose of which is to effect rotation of the disk 12 in unison with rotation of the turret.

as is formed with a tool receiving surface ll by which the shaft may be manually rotated to effect rotation of the nut II and vertical adjustment of'the post ilin order, that the machine may perform on bottles 'of diil'erent heights, as will be hereinafter apparent.

' The bottles are advanced in a procession by a turret 42 provided with bottle receiving pads 43, each being mounted upon. a stem 44 slidable vertically in the turret and retained from rotation by apin ll extending downwardly from each bottle pad through an aperture formed in the'top wall of the turret. 1The turret is also formed with an elongated" hub having an upwardly extending portion 4' and a downwardly extending portion IT. The portion 41 is bored to form a shoulder 48 resting upon a thrust washer 49 carried by the hub portion 30 of the base, and

the lower'end of the portion I1 is bored for rotation' upon a bushing Ill encircling the lower portion of the hub 30 of thebase. Rotation of I the turret about this vertical axis is accomplished by means of a ring gear 5| bolted to the end of the lower hub portion 41 and which is arranged to mesh with a pinion 52 keyed to the upper end of a vertically arranged shaft 53 extending up-,

wardly from a transmission housing 5| arran ed in the baseand operated by a motor 5!. The upper end of the hub portion 48 'is bored to rotate on a bushing 5s encircling the upper end of the hub 30, and upward axial movement of the turret is prevented by a thrust ring I! detachably secured to the end of the hub N.

The bottles B are fed from. the conveyor it to the turret 42 by an in-feed wheel 80 mounted upon the upper end of a shaft I joumalled in a vertically arranged boss 82 formed in the upper base section 22 and being provided with a gear 03 arranged in mesh with the turret ring gear 51. The rotation of the st?! wheel is ac- The disk 12 is rotatably mounted on an antifriction bearing 18 supported on the upper end of the post 35 and being secured thereto by a sleeve 11 encircling the post and secured to the same against rotation by a plate I! secured to the post as by screws 18', with the marginal portion of the plate overlapping the upper end of thesleeve H. The sleeve I1 is formed with a radially extending flange adjacent its upper end and on .whlc

is mounted the top casing 8| of the machine, as by screws 82;

The cap contracting heads H are secured to the disk 12 as by screws 34. These heads are formed with a hub 85 supported by a plurality of radial ribs, to the lower ends of which are pivotally connected a series of cap contracting members 81. These members are formed with downwardly extending cap engaging fingers l9 and upwardly extending stems 80 provided with spherical surfaces 9| arranged in arcuate slots 82 formed in a disk 93 rotatably mounted upon a sleeve 94 secured in the hub 85 as by set screw 95. The arrangement is such that upon rotation of the disk 93,'the fingers 89 are-moved towardand from the axisof the bottle. The disk 93 is' yieldingly urged in a clockwise direction, Figure 10, by a helical tension spring 96, one end of which is secured to a pin 91 carried by the. disk 93, and the opposite end to a pin 98 carried by the supporting disk 12. Each of the disks II is provided with a roller 89 arranged to engage a cam "0 detachably secured to a lower flange IOI formed on the sleeve 11 as by screws I02.

The low portion I03 ofthe cam IOI, Figure 4, is arranged to permit the disks 93 to be rotated under the action of the spring 96 to close the fingers 89 and contract the skirt of the cap against the neck of the bottle, and the cam I00 isso arranged as to effect this operation after the cap has been positioned on the top of the bottle. The low portion I03 of the cam I00 terminates previous to the time the'bottle has reached the out-feed wheel 65, and at this time the fingers 09 are moved in the out position, as shown in Figures 7 and 9, to permit the capped bottle to be released from thecontractlng head. The fingers 89, are enclosed by a cylindrical member I depending from the head m m a predeterminedltime, in'qthe leventlof} and formed with circumferentially spaced apart and inwardly extending flanges I06 which serve to engage certain of the panels or pleats of the? cap disk and fold the same downwardly to effect an initial formation of thesklrt-portion of the cap.

Upon relative axial movement between the bottle with the heated cap thereon and thefcap contracting head, thevcenter of the cap is engaged and the cap held on the top of the bottle by a presser foot III mounted on the lower end of a stem" III slidabiy mounted in sleeve- 04.

The stem II I is yieldingly pressed downward by spring Illencircling the upper portion of the sleeve 04 and being arranged between a collar III pinned tov the sleeve and a collar 'IIl secured to the stem III as by pin III siidable in a slot III formed in sleeve 04. I I

The cap strip I is fed froma roll on a spool I2I journalled on'a pin I22-carried by'asuitable bracket I23 extending-laterally from the side of the base section 22. The cap heating oven, designated generally at I24, is mounted in a bracket having side portions I26 at their upper ends to'the head casing II and being connected at their lower'ends' by'a transversely extending wall I20.

or each side wall l2! extends outwardly-to form a continuation I21 oi'the bracket, and'theextending walls I21 are connected by an intermediate web I20.

' The caps C are octagonal in general shape and the marginal portion or the cap is provided with" a. plurality of score lines I30 whichdefine panels or pleats I3I when the skirt portion of the capis folded and contracted about the top'of the bottle. The caps are joined one to the other to form the strip I20,-and after the strip is advanced to move a cap out of the oven I24, ltis severed as indicated at I32, Figure 3, The strip I20 is trained over a drum I23 journalled between the outwardly extending portions I21 of the bracket. The drum is formed with a series the procession; the

,to as by cap screwsflfla thereby retracting the" strip to withdraw I the 1 cap advanced into the oven {I24 by the-advancing of the previous cap to'the' cap; applying statlomail I 7 whereby each cap is only maintained in the oven advanced outwardly tion retracted from. this; mechanism, as previously- Journalled within mea -uni m and are, arranged in mesh with drivingigears'fitl; I42, which gears 4 a r-c imi a ditferential drivel i'romthe' drum. I I

The outer ends oi'ttheribli .131 aretormed toare independentlydriven the receive bearing capsl vvl'iich are secured'thereend of one of the ribs J21, 'andla pinion If is I pinnedto the oppowte dprthesiiart m; The

,f' ive a w I" a pinion I" is pinned othezoiiterend oi the sleeve e' -shait I40 is provided i The arrangement-1s 1 such that when thesieeve I0. is rotated in a v I clockwise direction Figure. 12; the p'awi' Ill-will The lower portion I actionoi'the'compression spring I" and thus I Q rotation" is imparted" item the sleeve m o the 1 of circumferentially spaced radial projections I35 so spaced and formed as to engage the caps adjacent the panels that are attached together to make thestrip formation I20. The projections I35 thus serve as means to properly guide and index 'the caps during the advancement of the strip upon rotation of the drum in. v

Means is provided for effecting intermittent rotation of the drum in timed relationto the'rotation of the bottle turret l2, and this means for effecting such rotation of the drum is under the control of -a' bottle actuable member, and the I arrangement is such that the drum is rotated to advance the strip I20 to position a cap in the oven I24 as the first bottle ofthe procession; or

sub-procession, enters the in-feed wheel 60, and

when this bottle has been advanced by the turret to near the cap applying'station, indicated'at I0, Figure 3, the drum I is again rotated, ad-' vaneing the strip to move the heated cap loutcf the oven to the cap'applying station' whereupon the heated cap is severed from the stripand applied to the top of the bottle, I

The drum operating mechanism further .includes means operable in the event of the'abill, The outer-"end oft The oven I24consists gear I ll lls llliltledf to the inner end ot a shaft v I lournalled in a sleeve III which, [in is" outer end of the other rib- I2'I. The gear Ill ls i'ormedwIth Ia cylindrical flange v journailed infth'e III formed with one or more'li t ii 'sign a) ti carried by ;the sleeve I", t A

with a' hand" wheel I".

over-ride thenotche's'TIB and the gear IlI will remain stationary.

m is rotated vm counter clockwise direction;

notches I02 underthe" the pawl lll eng'ages the gear Ill.

' The pinion lie lt'matea -fty (sari; "01ft rack v,

I" moved lnwardlytowar'd fthe machine by a solenoid I50. The 1,,pinion if is rotated] by meansi'of a rack lll'moved inwardly toward the I Both oi theracksl I I50, III are moved] outwardly by means of a machine by a solenoid[ IOI spring arranged within the ol noids.

Guide rails m are securedftothe'horizontal wall I20 adjacenteach ofztherilzus I20 and extend outwardlyln caps being. retained I by fiat strip s I arranged on the upper surfaces oi the rails. I03.

pending, side walls Iil andl an end wallwilil' Theoven is'arrang ed intermediate the'rlbs I28 4 voi the bracket and is supported-by andj secured to the railslfl underneath the side wiil ls I". A guard plate It! extends" axially over the centor of the strip nd aboutvthe drum, asldo, also I 'Ihe endsofthe strips-I01 and the guard I are connected bycross braces the flat strips I.

I01 andIIl, the cross brace It? being an angle piece removablyfastened to the end ,wall I of the oven. The oven' is heated by anelectrically operated heating element- H0. With .this ar rangement, .upon rotation of the :drum I 38; the strip I20 is advancedto successively position the 'sence of 'a-vuniformly spaced bottle in the pro Q cesslon to rotate the in reversedlrection I I 'Ihe gearlt pinned to theend ot a shaft-ITjournaliedrinl the outer however the sleeve: 1'3? I I juxtaposition to. the drum" I33; I The confronting edgesof therails glll. are [recessed to receive the {edges I strip formation 120, the against upward movement of the caps c of the r a top wall and day f caps in the oven I24 under the heatingeelefment I10.

After each "cap; has remained. in the-oven' for a The flower movable knife I13 iscarried by a ,Ushap'e'd bra'cket'l11, the legsof which arefiiornied with elongated slots I19 pto' receive shouldered screws I19 threaded into the ribs'I25, whereby the bracket,'I11 is movable vertically 'on the ribs I.25.. The ends of the legportions of' bracket I11 extend'lat'erally as at I50, and a yoke IIII i siconnected'at, its ends to the laterally extending portionsfl80 and is" provided intermediate its'ends 'with'a roller I82 arranged'to' be engagedby a'lobe- I83 secured to the periphery of the disk 12.

The bracket I11 is yielding'ly urged downward- '-ly by atension spring I9 4, one endof whichis connected Ito-the bracket I11, and the opposite end toia pin.;I05 mounted upon the'rib',I28. The lower knife I19 is normally spaced downwardly from the stationary knife I14 to permit the strip I20, or the caps thereof,'wto be'ied betweenthe knives,-" a nd the lobe m is so positioned that-immediately u'pon'ja cap being .fedout of the oven onto the guide rails I12, the lower knife ismoved upwardly-to sever the cap from the strip. I hls action of the lowerknife is substantially instan- 'taneous thereupon thesevered cap is en caged by a depending member' 'I 96 depending i'rornthe shell I05 01 each capping head aml as the capis moved along thearcuate supporting mus I12 the stem, on which the bottlepad 43 is mounted, is elevated by the roller I81 journailed in the lower end of the stem engaging a 'lobe onthecam track I88 secured to the upper section-22 orltne base, see Figure 2. This elevation is sufflcient to move the top of the bottle into engagement with the cap, and tomove the cap upwardly into the shield. I05, whereupon .themar'ginal portion of thecap is folded to form theskirtot the cap, and the folded skirt is contracted about-the bottle-by the fingers 09. The

Y bottle is maintained in this elevated position until it approaches the out ieedwheel 95, where upon the roller I51 p'asses upona low portion of the cam track I90, removingthe top of the mapped bottle Iromthe contracting head. The

bottle is thereupon engaged by the out-feed wheel 65 and returned to thefconveyor 20.

When the flrstuncap'ped bottle enters the infeedwheel 90, it is engaged by a bottle actuatablc finger I90 carried at the lower end of an arm I9I,

' the upper end of which'i's pivotally mounted to a switch housing I92 supported from the upper portion of the machine. Whenactuated, the ill!- ger-I9l moves the arm "I to actuate a switch V contact I94. into'engagementwith a contact I95. l

The closing'of the "contacts I94, I95 completes a circuit to thesolenoid I59 as follows: Hot side of theline I90, wire'I91; contacts I94, I95, wire 190, relay coil I99,"wire 200,to the common side of the line 20I. When the coil I99 is thus energized, armature 202 is moved upwardly, Figure 11, causingcontact 203 to bridge contacts 204, 205.

, Contact 204 is connected-to the hot side I96 through wire 205, and-contact'205 is connected to a solenoid I59 through wire 201, the other side ,of the solenoid being connected to the common s ideof the line, as indicated at 208. x

Whenflthe solenoid I59 is thus energized, the

rack I58 is drawn inwardly causing the gear I42 to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction Figure 2,. and inasmuch as the gear I is at this time stationary, the drum I33 is likewise rotated in a counterclockwise direction, the movement of the rack being such as to rotate the drum I93 sufficiently to move the first cap of the st ip into the oven I24. v 'While the .cap thus moved into the oven is .7 being heated, the bottle istraveling toward the cap applying station 10. Just previous to the time the bottle reaches the station, contacts j 2I0, 2II areclosed in the following manner. A

cam 2I'3 is secured to the upper end of a shaft .2I4 journalled in the switch housing I92 and extending downwardly andbeing connected to, the

"upper end of the shaft 5I onwhich the star wheel 60 is mounted. As here shown, the star wheel 60 isformed with two concavities, and the cam 2I3 is formed with two lobes 2I 5. The relative arrangement of 'these' lobes is such that just previous to the time the bottle reaches the capping station 10,. Figure 3, ,one of the lobes 2I5 engagesthe contact 2M and moves it into engagement with the contact ,2 completing a circult to the solenoidIGI as follows. Wire206, contacts 204, 203,205, wire 201 wire 2I6, contact 2, contact 2I0, wire 2", to' solenoid I6I, the other side of which is connected to the common Attention is calledto the fact that the relay coil I99 is provided with a stick circuit as follows.

Contacts 2I9, 220, 22 I, wire 222, contacts 223,224,

wire 225, to hot wire 205. The contacts 223, 224 are normally in engagement, being so maintained by a cam 225 mounted upon the shaft 2I4 and provided with notches221. The arrangementof I the notches 221 is such that the contacts 229, 224 v arerclosed previous to the time that the bottle passes 'outof engagement with finger I90, and the contacts remain closed until after the contacts 2I0,,2II are closed. In other words, when av bottle enters the in-feed wheel 50, relay I99 remains energized until after that bottle reache the cap applying station. V

Solenoid I5I having thus been energized, rack I60 is drawn inwardly rotating gear I4I in a counter-clockwise direction, Figure 12, and inasmuch as rack I58 has during this interval been held inwardly and is now stationary, drum I33 is rotated to againadvance the strip to move the cap, which has been heatedin the oven outwardly on the supporting rails I12, whereupon it is immediately severed from the strip as previously explained and appliedto the bottle.

'It will be apparent that if theuncapped bottles are advanced in uniform spaced relation, or in such manner as to fill each pocket of the star wheel 60, the relay I 99 will remain constantly energized and thus the solenoid I59 will likewise remain energized holdin the rack I58 in in-posi- 'tion, as shown in Figure 11, and as each of the bottles approaches the capping station, the solenoid I6] will be momentarily energized to advance the strip, effecting intermittent feed of the caps 'from' the oven to the supporting rails I12 for application to the bottles. However, in the event the bottles'should not be uniformly spaced on the conveyor 20, or should not be advanced in such manner as to fill each pocket of the in-ieed wheel 60, the cap, which'has been moved into the we; no

and thus rotating the gear I42 in 't'atedfin reverse direction I H fill to be retracted and the cap Just-pushed into 2,314,918 oven upon the feedingout of the previously heated cap, will be retracted from the oven in the folmanner. Under these circumstances, finwill of course not be actuated due to the of a bottle and accordingly, contacts .I 94, not be closed; 'I'hereupon, the follower absence III will of contact 224 will drop into one of the notches .221 of dam 226, and the stick circuit to relay-i99 will be opened, permitting armature 202 to drop open the circuit to the solenoid I59. The rack I53 will immediately move outwardly reverse or clockwise direction, Figure 2, and inasmuch as. the gear I is at thistime stationary, the drum I 33 will be rothe oven to be withdrawn therefrom. When the next succeeding bottle enters the in-.feed wheel 60, the finger I80 will be actuated and accordingly the solenoid I53 energized,

as previously stated. In order to prevent retrograde movement of 'the'gear I when the rack I58 moves outwardly,

the bearing cap I, adjacent the rack I60, is formed with a laterally extending bracket 230. the end of which is apertured to receive. a ball 23I urged inwardly against the hub of hand wheel I55 by helical compression spring 232. The hub of'the hand wheel is formed with indentations 234 into which the ball 23I is urged uponeach inward movement of the rack I60. 7

It'will be apparent that the maximum period a cap may be maintained in the oven IZl'is dur-- ing the travel of the bottle fromthe'in feed wheel to near the cap applying position. The arrangement issuch that to properly heat the cap. 'However, upon the absence of a bottle in the procession, the cap only remains in the oven'a very short time before it is withdrawn and thus, if bottles are presented to the machine intermittently in non-uniformly spaced relation, each cap i nevertheless properly processed for application. It will be observed that the cap feeding mechanism, the heating oven, and the severing mechanism, all constitute the bracket I25 which is detachably mounted to the head section 8l 'of the frame by cap screws 240. This construction is particularly advantacausing the cap strip" this period of time is' suiiicient means, a bottle actuatable 1 thereto in predetermined with a substance an integral unit carried by geous in that it permits all of these mechanisms to be quickly and conveniently removed as a unit by simply disconnecting the wires'to the solenoids I59, I GI, and to the heater coil I10, and removing the cap screws 240. Thus, in a few minutes the entire cap feeding, heating, and severing mechanisms are removed and anew unit may be installed. In the event any of these-mechanisms of the unit become outof order, the unit can be quicklyremoved and a'new one replaced, permitting the used unit to be returned to the factory for repairs or adjustment. With this arrangement, the machine need only be shut down for a few minutes in the event any of these mechanisms should become out or order during the bot-v tle capping operation. The importance of this advantage will be readily appreciated by those familiar with bottle capping conditions in dairies. 7,

What I claim is: 1. A machinefor applying hood caps to-bottles,

' the skirt portion of said caps being-provided with a substance rendered adhesive by theapplication of heat to make the caps self-securing on the botties, comprising a frame, means for advancing a procession of bottles to a capping station, means for supporting a plurality of caps joined together in strip formation, a cap heating oven mounted 7| Hated by each bottle of said -tioned in the oven to the cap applying station,

being operable asthe bottle and securing means operable! secure the cap on a the top of'the bottle, and said strip feeding and retracting means being operable, uponfailure of a a bottle being presented to said bottleactuatable member in such predetermined timed relation, to

retract said'strip' and move the cap then posL out of the oven.

2. Av machine for applying hood caps to bottles, the skirt portion of said caps being provided rendered adhesive by the applicationof heat to make the caps self-securing on thebottles, comprising a frame, means for advancing a procession of bottles to a cappingstation, means for supporting a plurality 01' caps joined together in strip formation, a cap heatjuxtaposition ing oven mounted on the frame'in' cap strip advancing and retracting means, a bottle actuated member arranged remote from the capping station and being actuated by each bottle of said procession, said strip advancing and retracting means being operable upon actuation oi said member by the first bottle of said procession to, advancethe '7 the oven, said means 1 strip and position a cap in approaches the capping stationto further advance the strip to move the heated cap out of the oven to the capping station and to move the next succeeding cap-into the oven, a cutter operable to the heated cap from the strip after the cap advancing a procession. of bottles to a capping station, joined together onthe iramein juxtaposition to the cap'applying procession, said strip capping station, cutter a sever means for supporting a plurality of caps 4. A machine for applying hood caps to botties, the skirt portion of said capa'being provided with a substance rendered adhesiveby the ap- .plication of heat to make the capsself-securing oven mounted on the frame in juxtaposition to a the, cap applying station, a drum, said strip engaging said drum ,and the drum being operable upon rotation in one direction to advance said strip and operable in the opposite direction-to retract said strip, a-bottle actuated member arranged remote fromthe capping station and be- [ing actuated by each bottle-of said processiom; means operable uponvactuation of said member "by the first bottle of said procession to. effect rotation of said drum to advance the strip and position a cap in the oven, and said means being operable as the bottle approaches the capping station to eflect furtherrotation of said drum to move the heated cap outiof the oven to the .capping station, and to positionthe'next succeeding, cap in said strip in the oven,'a cutter operable-to sever the heated cap from the strip after the cap. has been advanced out of the oven, said means being also. operablein the event said member is not actuated by a succeeding bottle within apredetermined time to eflect reverse rotation of said drurnlto' retract said stripfl'and withdraw said succeeding-cap from the oven..

5. A machine for applying hood caps to bottles, the skirt portion of said caps being provided with a substance rendered adhesive'by the application of heat to make the caps self-securing-on the bottles, comprising a frame, means for advancing a procession of bottles to a capping station, means for supporting a plurality of caps joined together in strip formation; a cap heatingoven mounted on the frame in juxtaposition engaging said drum .and the drum being op erableuuponrotation in one direction to advance said strip and operable inthe opposite direction to retract said strip, a" bottle actuated member arranged remote from the capping station and being actuated by each bottle of said procession, means operable upon actuation of said member by the first bottle or said procession to effect rotation of said drum to advance the strip and position a cap in the oven, and said means being operable as the bottle approaches the capping station to effect further rotation of said drum to movethe heated cap out of the oven to thecapping statiomand to position the next succeeding cap in said strip in the oven, a cutter operable to sever the heated cap from the,

strip after the cap has been advancedoutof 'the'oven, saidmeans being also operable in the eventsaidmember i not actuated by a" suc-' ceding bottle .within a predetermined time-to eflect reverse rotation of said drum to retract said strip and withdraw said succeeding cap from the oven, and manually operated means for eflecting rotation of said drumindependently of said means.

6. A machine for applying hood caps to bottles, the skirt portion of said caps being provided with a's ub'stanc e rendered adhesive by the application of heat to make the caps self-securing on the bottles, comprising a frame,,means for advancing a procession of, bottles to a capping station, means for supporting'a plurality of caps joined together.

to the capapplying station, a drum, saidstrip in strip formation, acap heating oven mounted -.-on-the"frame in juxtapositionto-the cap applying station,a' cap strip feedingand retracting drum Journalled in'the frame, a-pair of drum actuating jmembers, motion transmittingmeans connecting said membersto the drumand including differential gearing,"a bottle actuatable member arranged to be actuated by each bottle of s'aid' procession,

i one of said members being operable upon actua- 10' tion ot'said bottle actuated member by the'flrst bottle of said processiontoeifect rotation of said drum to advance the strip and position asap. in

the oven, said "other drum actuating member being operable as the bottle approaches thegcap ping station to effect further rotation of the; drum to advance the strip and move the heated cap, out

i of the oven to the capping station and move the next succeedingcap into the oven, a cutter operable to sever the heated cap from the strip'a'iter. go the cap has beenadvanced out of the, oven, said first drum actuating means being operable, in the event said bottle actuated member is 'notactuated by a succeeding. bottle within a predetermined time,'to efleet retrograde rotation of said 5 drum to retractsaid strip and withdraw said succeeding capfrom the oven. n I 7. A machine'for applying hoodcaps to bottles, the skirt portion of said caps being provided with a substance rendered adhesive by the application of heat to make th'e cap's self-securing on the bottles, comprising a frame,' means for-advancing a'procession of bottles toa capping station, means 1 for supporting a plurality of caps joined together in strip formation, a capvheating joven mounted as on the frame in juxtaposition to the cap applying station,'a first means operable by t he first, bottle of said procession tojinitiaily advancesaid strip .to move a can into the oven and being thereafter,

. inoperative upon the continuous advancement of "able to sever, said cap from the strip, means tween the bottle and'such cap to position the cap on the top of the bottle, cap folding and cap-skirt contracting means operable to contract the skirt a procession of bottles to a capping station, means for supporting a plurality of caps joined together in strip formation; a cap'heating, oven mounted onthe frame in juxtaposition to the cap applying station,a drum joumalledin the frame and being operable upon rotation to move the cap strip toward and from'said oven, means operable by the first bottle of said procession to effect rotation of a cap in'the oven and said means being thereafter inoperative upon continuous advancement of uniformly spaced bottles, meansaoperable as v 'each. bottle approaches the capping station'fto effect further'rotation r said drum 'tofadvince said strip and move the cap in the oven to cap oven to cap applying position, cutter means operoperable to eilfectfrelative axial movement be- 1 oi the cap placed upon thebottle, said first means 8.] A machine for applying hood caps to bottles,

said drum to initially advance the strip to move 'able to advance a ruption in said procession of applying position, cutter said cap from the strip, relative axial movement such cap to position the cap on the top of the bottle, cap folding and cap skirt contracting means operable to contract the skirt of the cap on the bottle, said first means being operable upon the absence of a uniformly spaced bottle'in said procession to effect rotation of said drum in the opposite direction to retract said strip and withdraw the cap then positioned in the oven, and said means being operable by the next succeeding bottle to again effect rotation of said drum and advance the strip to position the cap in means operable to sever means operable to effect between the bottle and the oven.

9, A machine for applying hood caps to hot-- ties, the skirt portion of said caps being provided with a substance rendered adhesive by the application of heat to make the caps self-securing on the bottles, comprising a frame, means for advancinga procession of bottles to a capping station, means for supporting a plurality of caps joined together in strip formation, a cap heating oven mounted on the frame in juxtaposition to r the 'cap applying station, a drum journalled in the frame and being operable upon rotation to move the cap strip toward and from said oven, means operable by the first cession toeifect rotation of said drum to initially advance the strip to move acap in the oven and said means being thereafter inoperative upon continuous advancement of uniformly spaced bottles, means operable as each bottle approaches the capping station to effect further rotation of said drum to advance said strip and move the cap in the oven to cap applying position, cutter means operable to sever said cap from the strip, means operableto effect relative axial movement between the bottle and such cap to position the cap on the top of the bottle, cap folding and bottle of said pro ties, the skirt portionof said caps being provided with a substance rendered adhesive by the appli-- cation of heat to make the caps self-securing on the bottles, comprising a, frame, means for adactuatable member arranged remote from the capping station and being,actuated by each botadvancing a I station, a cap feeding and heating unit detach-' to the frame in juxtaposition to'said vancing a procession of bottles to a capping sta' tion, means for supporting a plurality of caps, a

, cap heating oven mounted on the frame in Juxta position to the cap applyingstation, a bottle the of said procession, cap feeding means opertuated to move a the heated cap out'of the oven to the capping station and to move another cap into the oven, and said feeding means being further operable, in the event the next successive bottle of said procession is not presented tosaid bottle actuatable member within a predeter-- mined time, to move saidother can out of the oven.

- 12; A machine for applying hood caps to botties, the skirt portion of said caps being provided with a substance rendered adhesive by the application of heat to make the caps self-securing on the bottles, comprising'a frame, means for procession of bottles toa capping bly secured capping station, a bottle actuatable member arranged remote from the capping station and being actuated by each bottle of said prbcession,

said unit including a cap cheating oven and mechanism operable upon actuation of saidbottle actuatable member to move and being operable as the capping station to move the heated cap out of cap skirt contractingmeans operable to contract the skirt of the capon the bottle, said first means being operable upon the absence of a uniformly spaced bottle in said procession to effect rota-'- tion of said drum in the the oven to hecapping station and move anothercap into the oven, and being further operable, successive bottle of said said feeding mechanism in the event the next procession is not presented to said bottle actuatable member within a cap applying station, means for supporting a f plurality of caps attached together in strip formation, a cap heating oven arranged in juxtaposition to said cap applying station, means operable when actuated by a bottle remote from said cap applying station to advance said strip to position the first cap thereof in the oven, and a second means operable when the bottle is approaching said capping station to further advance said strip to move the heated cap out of the oven and position the same over the top of the bottle, and means operable upon an interbottles to move said strip in reverse direction to remove the second cap from the oven.

A 11. A machine for applying hood caps to botpredetermined time, to move said other caprout 45 of the oven.

13. A machine for applying hood caps to bot-' I *tles, the-skirt portion with a substance rendered adhesive by theiap- 1 plication of heat to make the caps self-securing of said caps being provided on the bottles, comprising a frame," means for advancinga procession of bottles to a capping station, means for supporting a'plurality of,caps Joined together in strip formation, a cap feeding retracting, heating ajndsevering unit detachab ly 1 secured to the frame ranged remote from the capping station and ,being actuated by each bottle of said procession,

said unit including a cap heating oven and mechanism operable upon actuation of said bottle ac tuatable member to move a cap into the oven and being operable as the bottle approaches the capping station to movethe said strip and move the cap then positioned in the oven out of the oven.

GERHARD H. J. BAULE.v

a cap into the oven; bottle approaches the l heated cap out of, the oven to the capping station and sever the said bottle actuatable member within a predetermined time, to retract 

